Redemption
by Luckyhai5
Summary: Ginny confides all her secrets to a boy behind the pages of a diary, and becomes trapped by him in a chamber deep underground. Is it too late, or can such a guilty soul find redemption in her?
1. Chapter 1

Hi all! This is my first fanfic, and I really appreciate any feedback you have. It will get very interesting later on - I will upload every 2-3 days. Enjoy xD

Luckyhai5

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><p><strong>Chapter One<strong>

Ginny had enjoyed the train ride to school. It was always exciting, running onto the platform, and boarding the train bound for what felt like a whole other world. Her mother had been quite emotional about how grown up they all were – she'd hugged them and told them to look after themselves. The train itself was cosy and warm, compared to the icy wind outside. She and Harry had sat in a carriage with Ron and Hermione. Her brother and Hermione were all over each other; cuddling and giggling (although her brother did most of the giggling). Their preoccupation meant that she had more time to spend with Harry. Of course, Ginny didn't mind. She'd always had a bit of a crush on Harry; his green eyes made her go all gooey. Speaking with him, she thought that maybe he liked her too. When the trolley had come around, he'd bought her a chocolate frog, and the wrapper crinkled in her pocket. The noise made her smile. They hadn't talked of anything important; just classes and timetables. That was nice, for a change. At one point, he'd leaned over and tried to brush the hair away from her face, but the train went over a bump and he hit her in the forehead instead. He'd been embarrassed for the rest of the journey, but Ginny didn't mind. She appreciated the gesture.

Now 16, she finally felt like she knew what she wanted; the nice kind of guy who would buy her chocolate frogs and awkwardly mess up in a sweet way. Anyway, Harry was a great catch – her whole family liked him, and he was charming. As she happily sat on her bed, contemplating her future as Mrs Potter, she didn't notice all the other girls coming in. Their loud chatter jolted her out of her daydreams, and she began to unpack her things.

All of her textbooks were stored on her shelf, her workbooks underneath. Most of them were dog-eared second hand copies; some as old as the teachers who had requested them! As she methodically sorted all the books and stored them in their places, she noticed one she hadn't seen before. It was a worn-looking book: small, black and leather-bound. Ginny wondered where it had come from; the leather looked like it could have been expensive, but was too damaged to be of any value. It must have fallen into her bag when she was shopping; she flicked through it. The pages were completely blank, with no name or anything. It probably wasn't worth much, so Ginny decided to keep it.

It could be her diary. She'd always wanted to keep a diary. Ginny picked up a quill, about to write her name. At that moment, Hermione burst into the dorm. "Ginny! There you are. Come to the common room at once."

"What is it?" Ginny asked, smiling and putting the quill down.

Hermione raised an eyebrow and smiled suggestively. "Harry has something to ask you."

Ginny laid the book down beside the quill and followed Hermione down the stone steps, into the friendly, full common room. Harry was standing awkwardly in the corner, next to her brother, who had a mixture of horror and hilarity splashed across his face. Hermione led her over to Harry, and then made an excuse for her and Ron to leave. Ginny could see them peripherally, and they were staring at her and Harry, giggling.

She smiled at Harry. "What is it?"

He smiled back, and began to blush profusely, getting up. Ginny frowned. This was very weird.

He opened his mouth, as if to say something, and then closed it again. Seeming to gather strength, he blurted out, "I was wondering if you would maybe like to go out with me to Madam Puddifoot's Tea Shop in Hogsmeade sometime if you want to." He said it all in one breath and, while Ginny formulated an answer, turned even pinker– if that was even possible.

She was delighted. Harry Potter, the boy she'd fantasised about all these years; the sweetest, cutest boy she'd ever met, wanted her to go out with him! She smiled warmly, "That sounds great!"

He breathed out a sigh of relief. "Fantastic!" He replied, gesturing that Ron and Hermione could come over again. Ron was both stern and brotherly, and happy for his best friend and his sister. Hermione was happy for both of them; Ginny knew she worried that Harry would never find someone, and was also pleased for her, as her friend. After everyone had joked and gossiped enough, Ginny turned around to get to bed. It had been a long day of travelling. At the bottom of the stairs, Harry stopped her. He smiled. "Good night." Ginny smiled too, and leaned in, kissing him quickly and rushing upstairs.

She left him reeling. She liked that.


	2. Chapter 2

I decided to upload 2 chapters the first time round, so anyone reading thins can decide if they like it. I'm really excited about where this is going, and I hope you enjoy the ride XD Luckyhai5

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><p><strong>Chapter 2<strong>

Ginny awoke early the next morning, and could hear the deep breathing of the girls around her. Quietly, she slipped into a dressing gown and looked out the window. The world was so peaceful at this hour; the sky was a clear, dawning blue-grey; the air was fresh; huge birds wheeled about in the half-light. All was silent, the silence seeping out of the bones of the earth. Rarely, the silence was broken by the high-pitched cry of a waking creature. There were trees dotted about; the whomping willow was still, occasionally shaking out its branches as some unfortunate animal tried to perch in it. Too close for her liking, she could see the dark treeline of the Forbidden Forest. The brooding, dense trees were inscrutable, and it made her shudder to think what creatures might be lurking in there.

Dark, evil things that could be staring back into her window.

Ginny shut the curtains and sat back on her bed. It was too early to wake anyone else up yet. She felt butterflies in her stomach when she thought about Harry, and what he'd said to her. Remembering their quick kiss also inflamed her cheeks, and she curled up on her bed, grinning ridiculously.

Once she'd calmed herself down, she remembered the little book she'd found earlier. Digging it out of her bag, she flicked through the pages again. Blank. She didn't know why she'd expected a change; she just felt like the book had been owned before. It gave out a strange feeling, although she couldn't put her finger on it.

Anyway, that was stupid. It was just an empty book. Rubbing the pages between her thumb and forefinger, Ginny decided to write down the events of the day before as her first diary entry. It would be a nice place to vent for a while, and make sense of the garbled mess of joy and anticipation occupying the spot in her head labelled _'Harry'._

Absent-mindedly, she dipped her quill in the inkwell on her desk. She wrote at the top of the first page, _'I've had a good day.'_

The words lingered for a moment, and then began to seep through the page. Astonished, she watched as the letters sunk into the paper, and new ones formed:

_'Really? I'm Tom. Tell me all about it…'_

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><p>For the first time in a long time, someone was writing. Tom never understood how he could understand the words; he felt them sink inside of him, and rearranged them to spell out what he wanted to say.<p>

He was good at that; making things do what he wanted.

Long ago, he'd discovered that it was hard to be a threatening diary. People could just shut your cover. No, he had to seep inside the mind of the person as their ink sunk beneath his parchment, his skin. Friendly. He had to be friendly.

This girl, she was weak. He could sense that about her, as she wrote, _'What are you?'_ Her handwriting was scratchy, and she was obviously stupid. That irritated him, but he had to rein in his exasperation; save it for when she was under his spell.

Instead, he answered, _'I'm a boy called Tom. Who are you?" _Quietly awaiting an answer, Tom knew that this plan would not fail. How could he fail? When so many others had fallen at his feet (one way or another) a single, inconsequential girl would not stand between him and freedom.

Victory, finally, was within his grasp.


	3. Chapter 3

**Hi all! **Just thought I'd give some conxext to this: basically, it is set during the Chamber of Secrets book, but all the characters are older (about 16). Harry and Ginny have never got together. This might start outa bit harryxginny, but will get more interesting later. Also, I don'town any of the characters or general harry potter franchise (if i did, why would i write fanfiction?)

**Cabin3Demigod **thanks for my first review, the timetables thing was them discussing the subjects they were taking etc, thanks for flagging it up. I hope you keep reading and enjoy! x

**Luckyhai5**

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><p><strong>Chapter 3<strong>

Ginny stared at the diary in amazement, shutting it carefully. Tom.

She knew better than to trust him implicitly, although she did like his curly handwriting. She'd told him her name, and discovered that he, too, was 16. She didn't quite understand why he was inside a book, but he'd evaded that question.

She slipped the diary into her bag. Although she knew better of it, she liked the idea of having a friend in a diary. She wanted to find out more about him; where he was from, what he liked, why he was in a diary. Was it his diary? Mulling over these questions, she headed downstairs for breakfast.

The hall was full of hungry students, talking and laughing loudly. Hermione had saved her a spot on one of the long tables, and Ginny smiled gratefully. Sitting down, she helped herself to some bacon and fried mushrooms, toast and waffles, casting furtive glances over at Harry. He was doing much the same thing. Hermione's many attempts to begin a conversation fell flat, so she got up with Ron to go to class early. Ginny knew that she was talking about them, but she also knew that her brother wouldn't encourage the subject. He had such a one track mind when Hermione was around.

That left Ginny alone at a table with Harry. She offered him a plate of something, not really looking at it. He didn't take any, and she put it back down. "So…" She began, searching for something to say. She nearly told him about the diary, but stopped herself. It could be her secret for now, before she knew more about this Tom. She didn't want everybody else writing in it and scaring him off.

They sat there in awkward silence for a while, looking at each other and then looking swiftly away.

Eventually, Harry began the conversation. "Do you have a free period soon?" He asked. When Ginny replied that she was free last lesson that day, he was thrilled. "So am I. How would you like to go to the tea shop tonight?"

Ginny agreed, and she and Harry spent the next few minutes sorting out the details, before she had to go to class. "See you then." She said to Harry.

He smiled. "Bye."

On her way to class, Ginny's stomach did little flips. He wanted to go out with her tonight! Totally elated, she stopped by the girls' bathroom, sorely tempted to tell Tom about it. There was something so absorbing about knowing that only she could talk to him; a 16 year old boy trapped inside a diary. Quickly, she rushed in and sat inside a cubicle.

'_Hello, Tom?' _She wrote, half convinced that it had been a dream.

'_Hello, Ginny.'_ The words resurfaced. _'How are you today?'_

Ginny took a deep breath, and poised her quill over the page.

'_I just got asked out by a really cute boy…'_ She began.

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><p>If Tom could breathe, he would have sighed. No, he would have snarled. Was it not enough that he had to be friendly towards the girl? Must he endure this torrent of juvenile babble and high school drama? He ached to drop the nice-guy act, to spell out words that would shock her, repel her, make her scream; words to bring her horror and slow her beating heart. Words to hurt her. He longed to make her do his bidding; to coerce her, to force her, as he had done with so many others.<p>

Not this time. He had to wait.


	4. The Tallest Tower

**Hey! **Here's another chapter, cuz I'm on a bit of a roll. Enjoy XD

Also, **Cat**, thanks for saying you enjoy my story.

**Luckyhai5**

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><p><strong>Chapter 4<strong>

Ginny had to admit, the diary was fun. It was better, she thought, to have a diary that talked back. Tom helped her to make sense of her feelings about Harry. His replies were short, but she found that they were focussed and helped her to think.

She was late for class, and had to think of some vapid excuse for Professor Snape. He looked duly disgusted at her presence and let her sit down. Potions dragged by. She wanted to go to see Harry, excited about their date.

Finally, the lesson ended and she went to meet him. He was already waiting for her with the invisibility cloak, and he waved as he saw her coming. "Hi Ginny." He shivered in the cold, "So glad you could come." Ginny nodded, and they began to walk to Hogsmeade. At first, she was nervous, as was he, and neither of them spoke much. They took off the cloak as soon as they were far away enough from the school. They trudged through the snow silently. However, as they settled into a regular pace, the conversation opened up. Ginny found herself enjoying chatting to Harry about her day, although he liked to do most of the talking. He kept rubbing his hands in the cold, and looking at her with those big, heart-melting eyes.

The bell over the door of the tea shop jingled as they went in, and they closed it quickly. A welcome break from the snow, the tea shop gave a warm glow. With piping-hot tea set in front of them, they had a great time, talking and laughing like the old friends they were. Ginny couldn't help but wish he'd treat her a little less like an old friend; she put her hand on the table, but he didn't hold it. When the food came, at least it felt like it wasn't because he didn't want to.

The date ended quickly after that; they paid soon and left, braving the cold. Ginny felt sort of lonely; he didn't seem to be into her in the same way she was into him. When they reached the school again, donning the cloak, they stood together saying goodbye. Harry touched her face lightly with the palm of his hand, and then, gaining confidence, leaned in to kiss her. They kissed more deeply than they had the first time; Ginny twisted her fingers into his hair and pulled him close. She could taste chocolate on his lips, making the kiss even more delicious. It ended all too soon, as they both resurfaced, breathless. She spoke first. "See you tomorrow." Ginny hurried away, whirling from the sensation of kissing him.

She couldn't wait to tell Tom.

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><p>Ginny was alone again. She'd got into the habit of waking up early to talk to Tom. Now she knew that he had attended Hogwarts, but it was hard to get anything else out of him. Sat, cross-legged, on her bed, she wrote (not for the first time):<p>

'_Tell me about yourself.'_

The reply came quickly. _'No.'_

Ginny frowned and thought of what to say. _'What house are you in?'_

This time, no reply came.

'_Why won't you tell me?'_

Again, nothing happened.

'_Come on, Tom, tell me about yourself.'_

'_NO!' _The reply came, the force of it shocking Ginny. _'Leave it be.'_

Ginny shut the diary for a moment, taking a deep breath. She wasn't sure why that put her on edge, but she really didn't like it. She didn't know anything about this boy, and he knew everything about her! Why wouldn't he answer her? She opened the diary again, resolved.

Slowly, purposefully, she wrote: _'Tell me about yourself, or I will throw you off the tallest tower in this place.'_

After a moment, she watched as the reply formed deliberately on the page.

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><p>Why was the girl always asking questions? Her curiosity was irksome, a nuisance. It tired Tom, to be constantly fending off her weak attempts to open him up. He had to admit, he was enjoying having contact with another person, even if she was dull and predictable. Again, he could have sighed as he felt her write:<p>

'_Tell me about yourself.'_

Not bothered to evade her today, Tom kept his reply simple. Honestly, how he could be expected to tolerate this level of inquisitorial prattle was beyond him. If only the girl would shut up.

'_What house are you in?'_

Oh, for God's sake. The girl would kill him with boredom. This time, he did not reply.

'_Come on, Tom, tell me about yourself.'_

The whining, dull girl had infuriated him. She had no intelligence! No intrigue! She was utterly predictable; an old song on the radio, going round and round. ENOUGH.

'_NO!' _Had she not got the message? Was she really so dense, so profuse? _'Leave it be.'_ His last-ditch, derisory attempt at being 'friendly fell flat'. Under the circumstances, he couldn't understand how anyone could still be patient. No doubt, she was upset, the boring, STUPID girl…

'_Tell me about yourself, or I will throw you off the tallest tower in this place.'_

Ah, that captivated him. A threat. How enterprising, almost alike him. He liked that. For the first time, he was pleased with the girl. He did not doubt that she would go through with it. How fascinating. Absorbed, he decided to reward her for this move.

Maybe the girl deserved more credit than he'd thought.

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><p>So, I'll leave you with that interesting thought. I love ending the chapter on Tom, what do you think? Xxx<p> 


	5. Despite Himself

**Here is** chapter 5, enjoy! Don't forget to review after, thanks XD

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><p><strong>Chapter 5<strong>

The lunch hall was packed with people. Today, the house elves had made a roast; it was Ginny's favourite, but she wasn't eating. Forlornly, she pushed the food around the plate, despite the multiple attempts made by her friends to discover what was on her mind.

Of course, she couldn't tell them. She was upset about Harry. He hadn't spoken to her that day, and when she'd approached him, he'd turned away. When she saw him later, he barely looked at her, leaving as soon as he could. What had she done? It made her miserable. How could she think that he liked her? He was probably just biding his time, waiting for someone better. Hermione had it so easy; it made her jealous. So pretty, with so little effort…

Ginny got up to leave, and went back to the dorm. She didn't speak to anyone on the way there. When she arrived, she drew the curtain around her bed and curled up. No one would ever love her the way she wanted them to; she felt so lonely. No one cared.

Sobbing, shaking, she picked up the diary.

To her surprise, her tears soaked through the paper as the ink had done. They swam into new words.

'_What's wrong?'_

Maybe Tom cared. She knew she couldn't trust him, but how could she resist this? Here was someone who she'd let behind her mask, irretrievably, someone who saw her in her darkest moments, who she'd shared everything with. How could she not pour out more of her soul to him? He cared, and who else did? No one! She was alone here, with just this diary lying between her and insanity.

'_I'm so lonely.'_

The starkness of her words surprised her. How could three words, so plain, perfectly sum up the whirling torrent of anguish she felt? The reply came unfalteringly, as if planned.

'_I'm here. Don't cry.'_

Ginny felt her tears soften, as she dipped her quill in the black ink.

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><p>Tom almost jolted in surprise as he felt drops on the pages. They were salty; tears? What was this, another teen drama?<p>

'_What's wrong?'_ He asked, reluctantly.

There was a moment. Then:

'_I'm so lonely.'_

He paused. Despite himself, he understood that feeling. He had been alone, always. Crying out and being ignored. Desperate, pleading, desolate. He remembered when he'd wanted to scream, wanted to shout, to cry into someone's' shoulder. _Anyone's _shoulder. And then he'd wanted them to scream, to shout, to cry – he wanted to take away their comfort, to make them desolate, ruined, forsaken like him. He wanted them to hurt. Who were they? Everyone. They were the reason he was like this; this crippling power that had driven him mad. How could they live with it, and he not? And now, here she was! A young girl, just like him – and crying on his shoulder! His hatred for her, and her world consumed him. This was what magic did, this was the cost. She was alone.

He didn't know it but, for that brief moment, he didn't feel lonely. He felt needed.

'_I'm here. Don't cry.'_

If only they'd said that to him.

Imagine how different it could've been.

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><p>Ginny was quiet. Midnight had come and gone, as she poured out her heart on the pages of that little book. Now, alone, she didn't feel alone. The warm weight of the book reminded her that she wasn't alone. Tom was her friend. He understood.<p>

As she dried her eyes, Ginny snuggled down under the blanket. She closed her eyes, succumbing to sleep at last. She slept dreamlessly, heavily, almost as if sedated – at peace. Their conversation ran through her mind. She felt like she was making sense of her feelings for Harry, and of her feelings in general. She remembered Tom's words; words which she thought could never leave her:

'_I'm here.'_

She slept soundly, warmth spreading outwards from the book, clutched to her chest all the while.


	6. Make You Regret That

**Ok,** here's the deal. About 100 of you have read my fic, but I only have two reviews. So, unless a couple more of you review, I'll assume you hate my fic and not upload any more.

Enjoy XD

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><p><strong>Chapter 6<strong>

That morning, Ginny walked right up to Harry.

"I had a lot of fun on our date." She smiled at him, gauging his reaction.

His smile was bright and genuine. "So did I. Do you want to go on Valentine's Day tomorrow?"

Ginny grinned, delighted. Her first Valentine. "I'd love to!"

He seemed equally enthused. "To the tea shop again?"

Ginny agreed, and they spent a moment discussing details. She noticed Cho Chang staring forlornly at them. It was no secret that Cho wanted to be Harry's girlfriend – Ginny felt a bit smug about that. Anyway, Cho had Cedric fawning over her. If only she'd see how much he liked her, she could have a really great time with him. Even now, Ginny could see Cedric limbering up to talk to her. Ginny wondered if he'd ask her out this time. He'd always backed out before, but with Valentine's Day coming up, now would be the perfect opportunity. Harry then demanded all her attention, as he slid his hand over hers. She entwined her fingers in his, smiling.

"Penny for your thoughts?" He asked. He must have noticed her daydreaming.

"Is that all they're worth?" She joked, leaning closer to him. He smiled back, and leaned closer to her.

He was about to kiss her, and Ginny was on edge. She drew him closer, not caring that they were in the middle of the hall. He put his arms around her waist, pulling her close, when:

"Potter! Weasley! Do you think that is an appropriate display for the dining hall?" McGonagall's shrill cry came from across the hall. Sighing, Ginny and Harry distanced themselves. Turning around, they were greeted by wide-eyed first years and sniggering older students. McGonagall was tutting at them, but didn't seem to be really angry. In fact, Ginny thought she looked a little pleased, regardless of her disapproval. Smiling sheepishly, Ginny and Harry parted ways to go to class.

Ginny, still elated, stopped in the bathroom again, to tell Tom. She shut the cubicle door and sat down, getting out the diary and her quill.

'_Tom?'_

'_Yes'_

'_Harry just asked me out for Valentine's Day!'_

'_Really?'_

'_Yes, isn't it great? We're going to the tea shop.'_

'_It must be love.'_

'_Be serious, Tom. I think he really likes me.'_

'_Congratulations.'_

'_I have to thank you. You gave me the confidence to do this. He's so cute!'_

'_I'm glad.'_

'_It's all down to you. Thank you.'_

The roughness of his next words surprised her. _'Well next time, go to someone else with your idiotic problems! I don't care about you and this boy; don't thank me!'_

'_Tom, what are you saying?'_

'_You and your fatuous problems! Your laughable little life! Don't you think I have better things to do? GO! Go and get all friendly with your precious Harry! See if I care.'_

His words infuriated Ginny. How _dare_ he speak to her in this way! How could he be so nice one minute, and so horrible the next? Venomously, she scratched into the page:

'_I'll make you regret that, you senseless two-faced lowlife.'_

With that, she hurled the diary down the toilet, not bothering to read his reply.

For a minute, after the book had disappeared, she sat there, fuming. Eventually, she calmed down enough to go to class, late again.

This betrayal stung bitterly, but she'd already forgotten those words which had been so dear to her just a moment ago.

'_I'm here. Don't cry.'_


	7. Valentine's Day

**Hey all!** This is my favourite chapter so far, dedicated to **Purple389**, for your review (made my day) :'D as well as **Cat** and **Cabin3Demigod**

The anonymous review button is back in business!

**Enjoy XD**

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><p><strong>Chapter 7<strong>

At last, it had arrived: Valentine's Day! It was late evening; the sky a shadowy blue; sparkling stars scattered over the stretching sky; the solitary cry of an eagle occasionally soaring from the silent vault. The excitement in the air was palpable; all the girls were frenzied, preparing for their dates. Ginny and Hermione were no exceptions; they had been hard at work all day, preparing their outfits, and now they were ready. Hermione had helped her tie her hair up in an elaborate coil on top of her head. Scattered over the twirl were little diamanté hairpins, glittering in the light. She was wearing a light pink dress, all ruffled and shiny. It was just a little too low and a little too short; it made Ginny feel fantastic. Similarly, her strappy silver heels were just a little higher than usual, accentuating her slender legs. Looking at her heavily outlined eyes in the mirror, Ginny felt dazzling. She loved the feel of the silky fabric over her skin, the sticky gloss over her lips. The heady scent of her lilac perfume was intoxicating to her; it was so sultry that it felt almost illicit. She'd eaten about fifteen breath mints, and the packet rattled in her shimmery silver clutch, next to her purse and her perfume bottle. Hermione smiled. She, too, was dressed to perfection; a dusky purple dress with lavender shoes and accessories. They smiled at each other, bracing themselves for the cold.

Approaching the boys, they saw their jaws drop. The effect was quite funny, making the girls giggle as they separated off into two groups. Ginny and Harry walked behind. The snow was still crunchy underfoot, and the cold was biting. Pretty soon, Ginny's feet were wet, with snow in her shoes. The walkway was lit up by little floating yellow orbs of light, casting wide circles over the snow. It was breathtakingly beautiful, and it absorbed all of Ginny's attention.

"You look fantastic." Harry told her, making her jump slightly. He hadn't noticed their beautiful surroundings; he was openly staring at her. It made Ginny feel both cherished and gauche, simultaneously.

"Thanks." She beamed.

At that moment, Ginny slipped on some ice, toppling over, and Harry grabbed her waist quickly, steadying her. "You alright?" He asked. Ginny nodded, thanking him. Grinning, he took her hand. Nearing the bright toy town of Hogsmeade, all lit up and glowing for this special night, Ginny felt like the luckiest girl in the world.

The tea shop was packed with couples, so Ginny and Harry got a table in the corner. The lights were turned down low, and a tinkling piano was playing somewhere. Ginny and Harry spoke for a while, until the drinks came, of nothing much. After a brief silence, Harry said, "You really do look beautiful tonight."

Ginny smiled. "You look great too."

Harry put his hand over hers, and leaned forwards. "No one will interrupt us this time." He teased.

Ginny leaned in over the table.

She tilted her face towards him, and he gently touched her cheek, pulling her lips towards him. He stopped, mere millimetres away from her, tantalisingly close, before their lips met. At first, he kissed her tentatively, then again. She felt his mood shift as their kiss deepened. He was a slow kisser, which irritated Ginny, and he smelled too strongly of aftershave. The kiss was boring, too tame; there were no fireworks. Eventually, he paused to take a breath, and Ginny used the opportunity to pull away.

The waiter, obviously also relieved, placed their food in front of them. Ginny found it hard to eat, her appetite lost by the lacklustre kiss. Harry was the first to speak. "Happy Valentine's Day." He smiled. Ginny smiled back.

Her eye caught on something sticking out of his shirt pocket. A little black book.

"What book is that?" She asked sharply.

Harry seemed shocked by her curt tone. "It's a diary."

Ginny sat up, shocked out of her blissful mood. "Where did you get it?"

"Moaning Myrtle gave it to me. Why?" Harry looked bemused, but also defensive, like he had something to hide. Ginny became even more suspicious.

She cursed in her head. If he knew anything about her involvement with the diary, she'd just given the game away! "Nothing. It just looks a lot like my diary. Can I see it?"

Harry seemed wary. "No, it's not yours."

"But can I see it?" Ginny pushed, "Just in case?"

"No!" Now Harry looked flustered, almost panicked.

Ginny stared at him. There was confusion in his eyes – he had talked to Tom, and he didn't want her to. That meant one of two things: Tom had told him all her secrets, or Tom hadn't mentioned her at all. Ginny crossed her fingers for the second option, and let it go.

For now.

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><p><strong>So<strong>, how was the kiss scene? Having had no experience with that kind of thing (and not because I'm too young (Q_Q) *sobs*), I was wondering if the description is ok.

Bises, **Luckyhai5**


	8. Resist Me

**Hi everyone!** I have another review, yaaay! Joy. Thanks to all u ppl who read xx

Enjoy XD

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><p><strong>Chapter 8<strong>

Ginny needed to get that diary back. Her anxiety over it had been hanging over her head for the duration of their date, making it impossible to enjoy. Her fear that Tom had shared her secrets with Harry had become overshadowed by another feeling, a feeling that shocked her; jealousy. She hated to admit it, but there it was. Tom was _her_ friend. She didn't want to share him with Harry. The thought that Harry could be talking to Tom right now made her resent him unbearably. The thought that they could be talking _about_ her was unendurable.

It was black dark outside; they'd arrived back from their date half an hour ago. Hoping that Harry would be asleep by now, Ginny walked down the stairs. Her bare feet were silent on the cold stone steps. She stopped at the bottom, listening. It was silent. She crept to the base of the stairs leading to the boys' dorm, and listened again, before ascending the steps.

When she was beside Harry's bed, she stopped still again. There was still no sound, just an eerie quiet. Ginny couldn't see the book on his shelves. Slowly, she took everything off in an attempt to find it. She got desperate, rummaging through his things. With a loud crash, the shelf fell to the floor. Ginny caught sight of the diary, just as the boys started stirring.

"What was that?"

"What time is it?"

"Is everyone ok?"

She ran down the stairs before they were lucid enough to see her, and flew onto the bed, lying with the diary clutched in her arms.

She'd done it!

Opening the pages, she wrote:

'_What did you tell Harry?'_

The reply came swiftly. Seeing Tom's writing had a strangely calming effect on Ginny. She took a deep breath, and read.

'_I knew you couldn't resist me.'_

The words sent shivers down Ginny's spine. She couldn't resist him; she needed Tom so much it had made her crazy. For God's sake, she'd ransacked Harry's room! What was she doing? She'd told herself that she'd done it to protect her secrets, but she knew it was more than that. The thought made her go cold, but she still wrote the words she knew she could feel, burning a hole in her stomach.

'_I want to see you.'_

As she wrote the words, Ginny knew she was doing something stupid. She should burn the diary! It was making her mad, making her do insane things.

Still, the reply she received made her shiver again, this time with anticipation.

'_Come on then.'_

* * *

><p>This was going better than expected. Tom had known that the girl wouldn't be able to bear Harry having him, but the swiftness of his retrieval had surprised even him.<p>

'_What did you tell Harry?'_

He avoided the question. He should have told Harry everything, of course: what was there to stop him? He disliked Harry. He felt more than the pure, blistering hatred and rage for him that had haunted him all these years: he felt a kind of bitterness towards him as well now.

'_I knew you couldn't resist me.'_

It wasn't fair that the girl liked Harry. She deserved much better than that little jumped-up brat. Tom half-wished that she'd see through his avoidance of the question and cut to the quick. The idea made him panic. He wasn't used to this feeling;HeHeHejof;d for the first time, he felt his intense hatred for everything waver. He hated the feeling. But, try as he might, he felt almost cordial towards the girl. Far too friendly. She, of course, would come to despise him, as all people did in time.

'_I want to see you.'_

Her words were unexpected, jolting Tom. He leered. She was playing into his hands. Forgetting on his previous almost-emotion, he smugly anticipated what was to come. The girl's death, an inevitable by-product, did not trouble him. It was necessary.

'_Come on then.'_

He thought he'd won.

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><p>What a note to end on! Cya all later xx<p> 


	9. A Knife

**I'm putting this up early** as a great lil cliffhanger for y'all. Enjoy XD

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><p><strong>Chapter 9<strong>

Ginny stood beside the wall, a knife in one hand. Why was she doing this? The knife was so cold.

* * *

><p>Tom felt the ice-cold knife in his hand. Quickly, he slit the end of her finger – a tiny incision, kinder than was warranted– blood dripping onto the floor. He wrote with her blood on the wall, feeling her weight around him like a heavy coat. When that was done, he took her to the next place. It was just as he'd remembered.<p>

* * *

><p>It was just as he'd told her.<p>

The snake was engraved deeply in the side of the sink, slithering under her touch.

* * *

><p>Slithering under his touch. Knowing that his time was limited, Tom parted her lips and gave the command.<p>

"Open."

The high tone of her voice moved him. It was clear as a bell, cutting through the darkness he loved so very dear.

But what matter? There is no time to dwell on people who are soon to be a part of the past.

* * *

><p>Ginny could see the dark gap in front of her. Dazed, she took a deep breath.<p>

She jumped.


	10. Rubble or Bones?

**Yay!** Another review. Thanks, love you XD And hi to all you silent readers out there too.

Enjoy x

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><p><strong>Chapter 10<strong>

Ginny awoke.

As her eyes adjusted to the dingy, dark space, she felt that she was lying on something hard; a pile of rubble, perhaps. She wondered how she'd got down here; where was 'here'? It was freezing cold, and she shuddered, pulling the flimsy fabric of her pyjamas closer to her. She began to be able to see, and jumped up in disgust.

Bones! She had been lying on top of hundreds of human bones! Ginny ran onto a clear part of the floor. The bones clattered around her, the noise echoing off the walls. Parts of how she'd got here were beginning to come back, but there were pieces missing. A knife, a snake… Ginny shuddered again. She seemed to be in some kind of great chamber or cave system, underground – looking up, she could see how she'd gotten down here. But _why_ had she jumped? Looking down, she saw that the diary was still clutched in her hand. Her knuckles were white. There seemed to be a sort of corridor leading away from the pile of bones. Ginny was in favour of anything leading away from the bones, to be honest, and thought that maybe there was a way out further in.

She walked down the passage cautiously. The echoes of her footsteps behind her were unnerving, like there was someone else there. A few times, she whipped around, but she couldn't see anyone. Eventually, it became too much, and she sank down, her back to the cold wall.

Opening the diary, she wrote: _'Tom, I'm scared.'_

'_Don't worry; I'll meet you in a moment.'_

With a jolt, Ginny remembered why she was there. She was going to meet Tom. The thought filled her with unease. This was not a good place, and how much did she know about him anyway? A horrible dread came over her. She shut the diary forcefully, the _thump_ echoing over the cavern.

From the corner, a voice said, "What was that for?"

Ginny's blood curdled and she froze, seized by terror. Slowly, she turned to face the shadowy figure. He was tall, with dark hair and black eyes that burned. His face was ashen, but he was also filmy – transparent.

"Hello. I'm Tom."

Ginny felt weak. She noticed that he was wearing Slytherin robes.

Suddenly, and very unexpectedly, the world went black.

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><p>A short one for now, but longer chapters are coming! <strong>Luckyhai5 xx<strong>


	11. A Different Longing

**Another chapter! **Sorry for the wait xx

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><p><strong>Chapter 11<strong>

Ginny was lying on the floor again, but this time it was flat. No bones. It was cold, though, and Ginny kept her eyes shut, listening. She knew it would do no good. Tom seemed to be a ghost, and they were, as a rule, quiet. There was no noise except for the faint trickle of water. Sitting up, Ginny felt faint, and groaned. Her head hurt.

"Hello." Tom's voice came from above her.

Ginny looked up. "Hi, Tom." She greeted him, feeling strangely shy. In the gloomy half-light of what appeared to be a large stone chamber, she could see his face more clearly. He was hot, but she didn't want to acknowledge that. Her eyes travelled down to the Slytherin emblem on his robes.

"You never told me you were in Slytherin."

"No. I didn't. Does it change anything?" He was looking at her intently, as if her next reply was important.

"Not really. Where are we?" Ginny was beginning to wake up more, and became acutely aware of the fact that she was alone with a strange boy and she didn't know where she was. Of course, he wasn't really a strange boy, he was Tom, but that was beside the point.

"Underneath the school." He replied. "Do you remember how you got here?" Again, he seemed overly interested in her reply to the question, making her nervous.

"Not really." She lied for the second time. He relaxed, leaning back.

"Good."

Ginny couldn't remember it all, but in parts – a knife, cold in her hand and a snake, slithering under her touch. Involuntarily, she shuddered. Tom noticed.

"Are you cold?" He asked.

Glad that he had supplied her with an excuse, Ginny nodded, and was surprised to see him present her with her robes. "I bought them down for you while you were sleeping." He explained. Exactly how he'd done that, Ginny wasn't sure, but she was grateful.

"Where can I change?" She asked, looking around for a side room or something.

Tom smiled. "I'll turn around."

Ginny, uncomfortable with the whole arrangement, kept her eyes trained on his back for the whole ordeal. He didn't turn around once, but Ginny was slow at changing, fumbling with button holes. Looking down at the buttons, cursing them for not working properly, Ginny was jolted by Tom's hands. "Let me help." He smirked, adroitly doing up the buttons of her shirt before she could protest. His fingers lingered on the top button just a little too long to be bearable. Ginny, blushing profusely, thanked him as he held out her jumper. She put it on quickly. He stared at her all the while, and then went to sit at the other end of the chamber, as if deep in thought.

They were silent for a while.

Ginny felt her strength waning, a headache humming in her skull. She rubbed her forehead. "I don't feel so good…" She began. Then, she collapsed.

* * *

><p>There was an indent on his fingers from when he'd held her button. Being so close – it made him feel almost sick, but not with revulsion, as before. He had to go and sit alone, to work it off. Before, he would have killed her, but he was going to anyway. He knew it was time to drop the nice guy act, but she seemed to like him.<p>

She seemed to honestly like him.

That, in itself, was entertaining enough for him to keep going. He felt himself growing stronger every moment he was with her. Besides, he liked the blush that spread over her cheeks when he drew close. He liked her big eyes, looking up at him with a mixture of fear, nervousness and hope. This was a novelty, which he had a few more days to savour before the girl died.

Mmmn, yes, he could feel himself growing stronger, becoming more a part of this world.

The girl began to swoon. "I don't feel so good…"

She was on the floor in moments, or she would've been, if Tom hadn't caught her before she hit the ground.

That was strange. He should have let her fall. Heck, he should have pushed her. He told himself that he couldn't have his energy source becoming injured, he needed her strong.

He disliked this feeling, of almost feeling something other than hate.

He longed for the girl to die.


	12. My Reflection

**Cat**, thanks for your review, it made my day! All my other reviewers, I love you all 3 This chapter is for you guys

Enjoy XD

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><p><strong>Chapter 12<strong>

Ginny was on the floor again. This time, she opened her eyes without hesitation.

"Are you alright?" Tom was sat at the other end of the chamber, looking at her. He was leering, most unbecomingly.

"How long was I out?" She asked.

"Not long." He shrugged. "About half an hour."

Ginny nodded, absorbing this. Why did she feel so weak?

Tom seemed to read her mind. "You're hungry. Here." He presented her with a small brown paper bag, with some sandwiches inside. Ginny ate hungrily. She hadn't realised how starving she'd been.

"Thanks." She said.

"Don't mention it." Tom replied. He had a strange glint in his eye. "Soon, you won't be thanking me for anything."

Ginny felt unease creep back over her.

"Why do you say that?" She asked, to no avail. He stayed silent, staring at her.

"Who are you?" Ginny asked. The words came out quieter than she'd hoped. She sounded fragile. Heck, she felt fragile. She felt ill.

For a moment, some other expression flashed across Tom's face, but before Ginny could identify it, he was smirking again.

"You know who I am. I'm Tom." He began to walk towards her. "Get up." He instructed, offering a hand. She refused to take it, getting up by herself. Tom snickered. He seemed less translucent than before, but Ginny told herself that was stupid. Ghosts didn't change.

"How did you die?" She asked, bluntly.

Tom seemed stumped for a moment, and then understanding flickered across his face. "It's complicated." He answered enigmatically. He held out a bag to her, and Ginny took it, warily. Inside, she was delighted to see a sandwich. She wolfed it down fast, as he watched. His eyes were always on her. She didn't like it. It was unnerving.

"How are you feeling?" He asked, as if it was some kind of joke.

Ginny frowned. "Awful."

She had to find a way out of here. Looking around, she couldn't see any exits. At the end of the chamber was a huge face in the rock. It was eerie. Tom noticed her looking around.

"You'll never escape." He told her, in a voice that should've been gloating but came across sad.

"Why am I here?" Ginny asked.

"Don't worry yourself. You're not well." Tom replied.

Ginny resented his statement, but she was already tired from standing. She felt horribly drained. Swaying on her feet, she toppled forwards, grabbing onto Tom's shoulders to avoid impact with the floor. She felt him stiffen under her touch. Firmly, he pushed her away. "Go to sleep." He told her. Ginny shook her head.

* * *

><p>Tom frowned, perplexed. Why would the girl not do as he asked? What did she want from him?<p>

"Lie down, you stupid girl." He spat, pushing her over onto the floor.

That should've felt good. He was being vindictive. He was hurting her. Those were his main pleasures in life. Why, then, did the sight of her crumpled body give him so much dissatisfaction? Filled with resentment, he turned his back to her.

He could hear her crying, silently. She must feel terrible.

The next words just came out.

"I'm sorry."

Why had he said that? He, Tom Riddle, the Dark Lord, apologising to a teenage girl? She was nothing special! He hated her! Why did she make him feel this way? Enraged, he turned to kick her, to scream at her, to HURT her then way he knew he should –

when he saw those big, tearful eyes and her bloody nose. Crouching in front of her, he prepared to insult her, to break her.

Her eyes encapsulated him.

She spoke first.

"Get away from me."

The words seared him, crushing his resolve.

"Look, I-"

"GET AWAY FROM ME!" She screamed, slapping him around the face.

He fell back, reeling. HOW DARE SHE? Rising to his feet, he drew back his fist, ready to strike her on the head. She let out a cry and fell back, sobbing, gasping – the fear in her eyes froze him. He could see his reflection in them.

Tom was then swallowed up by a new emotion, completely.

Guilt. Shame. Remorse.

He ran from her, and from himself, until he could run no more.


	13. A Bad Idea

**Chapter 13**

Ginny wasn't sure what had just happened. He had pushed her to the floor, hard, and she had fallen facedown onto the stone. Pain had shot up her nose – it was bleeding, maybe broken – and tears had stung her face. He'd stopped, apologised, and then whirled around with the look of a madman in his eyes – wide and wild. She'd shouted, 'Get away from me', and he'd seemed to visibly collapse inwards; consumed by some violent emotion Ginny could hardly fathom. It had been a few hours since his departure.

Ginny was crouched on the floor. A charm had fixed her nose, but the blood had dried on her face, itching. She curled up, feeling inconsolable.

Tom, her best friend, her ally, the one person who knew everything about her, had hurt her.

"_You stupid girl."_

Did he really think she was stupid? Was the hate she'd seen in his eyes real?

Why would he hate her so much?

Why would he hate her?

Ginny stiffened as she heard footsteps behind her.

He cleared his throat.

Ginny remained completely rigid.

"I – I'm sorry." The words were faltering.

Ginny didn't move.

"Please – I didn't mean – I don't – I'm sorry." His voice was wavering.

Ginny spoke, firmly. "Do you really think I'm stupid?"

"No!" He said quickly. She heard the rush of his robes over the stone floor as he walked towards her. He stood behind her, but she still didn't turn. "Please." It was a simple word, conveying a kind of pain that Ginny understood inherently. She turned and spoke.

"Ok." Was all she said.

Tom crushed her against him, wrapping his arms around her and holding her close. He was cold, but after a moment, Ginny wound her arms around him. She pulled him tight, and felt his hands wander to rest around her waist.

* * *

><p>Tom could feel the girl's heart beating as he stood, pulled tight to her. She was warm, and her hair smelled like apples. This was something he had not bargained for. He could have dealt with it otherwise, but this was too much. He had never imagined that her hair would smell like apples. Locked in her embrace, he moved his hands down from her back, caressing her gently, to rest at her waist. She accepted his touch, which was not something that had happened before. She was completely relaxed in his arms. This was new to him – trust, he thought, or some variant thereof. It should not change anything, of course, but the fact was that her hair smelled like apples.<p>

She sighed as they parted. Tom felt a kind of warmth. This was all very new. This was not part of his plan. In his plan, she died. Looking into her eyes, he almost regretted his plan. It would be a shame, if she died.

Tom knew he should not get involved with the girl. Still, he found it hard to resist her. He noticed her eying him up and down, taking in his tall, wiry physique. He smiled.

Heck, he was going to hell anyway. He may as well enjoy this moment before the girl died.

* * *

><p>"See anything you like?" His words made Ginny blush and splutter, not able to formulate an answer. Before she knew what was happening, he was standing right in front of her again, close enough to make all her hairs stand on end.<p>

"I've seen something I like." He whispered, brushing some of her hair behind her ear. He positioned his thumb under her chin, tilting her head towards his until their lips were tantalisingly close.

"I like it a lot."

Ginny could see the desire in his eyes, and feel heat rushing to her cheeks. Poised in that moment before they kissed, Ginny knew this was a bad idea.


	14. Damn

**Hey all!** Sorry the last chapter was a bit rough around the edges, hope you enjoy this. Also, just wanted to explain that Tom's emotions are very strong, as they are quite new to him. PLEASE SOMEONE REVIEW. No reviews makes me demotivated, which means I leave huge gaps between chapters. And if there is some problem with anonymous reviews, someone tell me how to fix it (pretty please).

All my love and apologies, **Luckyhai5 XD**

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><p>Ginny could feel the tension in Tom's body as they stood, frozen in the moment before one of them closed the distance between their lips. She wanted him, but she didn't want to. She couldn't do this – she shouldn't do this. Gently, she pushed him away, despite the sparks she felt in her fingertips where they touched his chest.<p>

"Tom, I'm sorry, I just can't –"

"I know. It would always have been like this." Tom seemed to shake out of a trance, marching down to the other end of the chamber. "How could I have been so stupid…" He muttered, frowning, the expression on his face unreadable. "The girl will be gone soon anyway…"

"Tom, what are you talking about?" Ginny asked, suddenly feeling very scared and isolated. "Tom, what is it? Tom!" Her voice broke into his attention.

"To think, I thought for one moment…"

"Thought what?" Ginny was impatient to know what was behind his perturbed mood. "Look, I'm sorry –"

"THAT SOMEONE LIKE YOU WOULD WANT SOMEONE LIKE ME!" He spat, whirling around with wild eyes.

"What do you mean, someone like me?"

"Someone… someone…"

"What, Tom?" _He's going to call me stupid again_, Ginny thought, _or say he hates me. It was inevitable; I've never been good enough for either of us. What am I? Just a stupid little girl. Just like he said…_

"Someone beautiful."

He was beside her again in the blink of an eye, staring straight into her soul. "How could I think that someone so beautiful could ever want someone so… Oh God, what have I done?" He stared at her with terrible eyes, as if he was begging her forgiveness.

"Tom, what do you mean? What have you done?"

"Nothing."

"TOM! What are you talking about?"

"Nothing."

* * *

><p>Good Lord, what had this girl done to him? He'd nearly told her everything, and spoiled the whole plan! How was it that she inspired this, this… <em>turbulence<em> within him? This had to end now. It was all too close to feeling – no, this was feeling. Tom was _feeling,_ feeling an emotion other than hate or wanton bloodlust, or cruelty. This had to _end._ It wasn't healthy. He knew she could see this in his eyes; it must disturb her, repel her. That was what he wanted. Wasn't it?

Her next words surprised him.

"Do you really think I'm beautiful?"

The gentleness of his reply surprised him even more. "Yes, I do."

There were tears in her eyes, which he knew meant that she was sad. People cry when they are sad; he had learnt that, albeit not through his own personal experience.

"Why are you sad?" He asked. He must keep his distance from the girl, in order to see his plan through. It was just a few more days, and then she would be gone. If he had been being honest with himself, he would've conceded that this made him feel lonely. But he wasn't being honest. He couldn't admit that to himself, not yet.

She smiled, and spluttered. "Sad? Why do you think I'm sad?"

"Because you're… crying?" Tom replied hesitantly. 'Reading people' was not his forte; he just took what he wanted and left the rest.

She laughed again. She was laughing at him. "I'm not sad. You're so…" She was laughing at him.

"Don't laugh at me."

She looked shocked. "I wasn't. I just think you're really… cute."

"Cute?" The word exploded out from Tom's entire body, making the whole chamber tremble. "Little girl, you have no idea –"

"Tom! Cut it out! It was a compliment."

Tom glared. Cute? How dare she! He was Tom Marvolo Riddle, the Dark Lord. He was not 'cute'. Puppies, they were 'cute', and he would have no qualms about killing puppies. He was not 'cute'. How dare she?

Ginny came closer to him, until they were a hairsbreadth apart. Tom tensed, expecting another slap, another rejection, or worse – she might…

"I did see something I like."

Oh, damn. He had to stay on track; she had to die, he was the Dark Lord –

"I liked it a lot."

No. NO. Armies would fall at his feet; proud men beg for mercy! He would not be conquered by a, by a –

"I like you a lot."

A beautiful girl, a perfect girl, who wanted him. Tom closed those few spare centimetres between their bodies, pulling her tight. Again, they were at that point just before kissing – he would not take that last step. It had to be her. She had to _want_ him, like he wanted her.

She did.


	15. Hanging

**Hey all! **Sadly, the next chapter will be the last. It's gonna be long, tho. Tell mewhen u want me to putit up and please, if you've been reading, review. I really appreciate it if you've stuck with me this far, hopefully you've enjoyed my story. Until next time

**Luckyhai5 XD**

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><p><strong>Chapter 14<strong>

Tom awoke curled around the girl, his arm draped around her waist. For a moment, he marvelled at his casual touch, and relaxed. Then he cursed himself. How could he let this happen? This… complication with the girl would only serve to make things more difficult. Nonetheless, with her here, feeling the quiet rhythm of her breath against him, he felt almost whole, for the fist time in…

No!

He was Tom Riddle, the Dark Lord, and he WOULD NOT be conquered by this small, inconsequential girl who had…

She turned to look at him. She was so beautiful. She smiled, opening her mouth to speak.

Then she closed it again, and used it to kiss him. Tom felt her kiss with an explosive force; he had never experienced this feeling before. With her, every kiss felt like his first. Eventually, they separated.

Tom felt so at peace with her here. His thirst for vengence had been almost replaced; was that good or bad? The scary thing was that he didn't care.

"Morning." She was smiling. She was happy to be with him. That was very new.

"Morning." Tom smiled back. Everything he did was despite his better judgement, but he was too far gone to care. The girl began to dress, and so did he. He wanted to remove every layer of her clothing as she put it on. Eventually, they were both fully dressed, and Tom walked to the other side of the room to get her breakfast. He would have to make a choice, and he knew what he wanted to do - it was not what he should do. When had the girl become such a big factor in his plan; when had she stopped being a casualty? She had to die. If she did not, Tom would fade. There could be no happy ending. Better her than him.

* * *

><p>Ginny watched Tom walk away across the chamber. There was a thoughtful air around him, he didn't speak. She could hardly hear him breathing. That worried her. What was he thinking about? Ginny wondered why she was in the chamber with him. This was a bizarre situation; the scary thing was that she didn't really care. She trusted Tom, although she knew she shouldn't. He began to turn to face her.<p>

* * *

><p>As he turned, the girl gasped, and he rooted to the spot.<p>

Then, her face changed. Horror overtook and mangled her features, as she fell and curled up. She shrieked, the sound terrifying Tom in a way that he had not experienced since he was very young. She was choking. Tom fell down beside her. Oh God. What had he done? She was sobbing, pain evident in her expression. She writhed on the ground, tears making tracks on her cheeks. The girl could barely breathe; the air was heavy through her lungs, dragging. Oh God! What had he done?

All was quiet for a moment. She whispered to him, barely audible, but her words made his body curl in terror:

"It hurts, Tom. I think I'm going to die."

Then, with a whimper, she went slack in his arms.

Tom froze for a moment. Now, he gathered her up, holding her carefully and hanging desperately to the slow beat of her heart.


	16. Her Name

**Here it is, the last chapter!** It's a long one, please note that some of the dialogue is taken from the book. I hope you enjoy it! I've really enjoyed writing this story, and I thought I'd give my reviewers one last mention: Cabin3Demigod, Cat, purple389, 8O surprised face, Queen Charlotte and anonymous person, I love u guys for reviewing; maybe you were the only ones reading but thanks for making an effort! This last chapter is for you.

**Love and stuff, Luckyhai5**

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><p><strong>Chapter 15<strong>

Today was the day she would die. Tom knew it – he was so strong. He doubted she would even wake. The thought filled him with horror; as he placed her softly back onto the ground. Of course, he must complete his plan. The girl had always been collateral damage.

What did he care? There had been so many casualties.

Tom heard footsteps in the chamber, and sunk into the shadows.

It was the boy! Potter! Hatred stirred in Tom's heart. This was the reason the girl would die. _Harry Potter_ was responsible for her death; that thoughtless fucking child who had cost him everything. How he hated that boy! He would suffer. He would feel pain so indescribable it would tear him to pieces. He would die slowly, and die he would. Tom smiled as the boy tried to wake the girl.

Tom stepped out into view. "She won't wake." He said softly.

Tom watched as the boy placed him. "Tom – Tom Riddle?" Tom nodded. "What d'you mean, she won't wake? She's not – she's not…"

Ah, so the boy was stupid. His ridiculous, vacuous speech was irritating to Tom. He deserved to die.

Tom toyed with him. "She's still alive, but only just."

He watched confusion sink through the boy's features. "Are you a ghost?" He asked.

Ah, the same conclusion that the girl had jumped to. But he could not think of her, could not look at her, lying there, cold and almost lifeless, all because of... Anyway, he hated people who made assumptions, but why not tell the boy the truth, or part of it? He would not be alive for very much longer. Almost alike the girl, lying there, so pale because of...

"A memory, preserved in a diary for fifty years." Tom gestured to the diary, on the floor. The boy's gaze travelled down, and he recognised it. Quickly, before the boy looked up, Tom picked up his wand. It felt strangely familiar, almost similar to his own – but there was no time to dwell on such things.

"You've got to help me, Tom," the boy said, raising the girl's head again. "We've got to get her out of here. There's a basilisk… I don't know where it is, but it could be along any moment… Please, help me."

Ah, he still thought Tom was his friend. The irony.

The boy bent to pick up his wand, realising that it was gone.

This would be a good game.

"Did you see –" Tom twirled the wand idly. "Thanks." The boy said, reaching out for the wand.

Tom smiled, still twirling the wand.

"Listen," the boy began urgently, "We've got to go! If the basilisk comes –"

"It won't come until it's called." Tom pronounced, enjoying the confusion that spread over the boy's face.

"What do you mean? Look, give me my wand, I might need it –"

Riddle grinned.

"You won't be needing it."

He was going to enjoy this.

"What do you mean, I won't be -?"

"I've waited a long time for this, Harry Potter." Tom allowed some of the venom to leak into his voice. "For the chance to see you. To speak to you."

"Look, I don't think you get it. We're in the Chamber of Secrets. We can talk later –"

"We're going to talk right now." Tom smirked, pocketing the wand. He enjoyed the horror that was beginning to chip away at the boy's expression. At last, he was himself again!

"How did Ginny get like this?" The boy asked slowly.

"Well, that's an interesting question," Tom drew out his answer, carefully not looking at the girl, "And quite a long story. I suppose the real reason she's like this is because she opened her heart and spilled all her secrets to an invisible stranger."

"What are you talking about?" Asked the deeply profuse boy.

"The diary," said Riddle. "My diary. That girl has been writing in it for months and months, telling me all her pitiful worries and woes - how her brothers tease her, how she had to come to school with second-hand robes and books," Tom's eyes glinted, "How she thought that famous, good, great Harry Potter was a dull kisser…" Tom searched Harry's face hungrily, for the fear her craved.

"It's very boring, having to listen to the silly little troubles of a teenage girl," he continued. "But I was patient. I wrote back. I was sympathetic, I was kind. She simply loved me. 'No one's ever understood me like you, Tom ... I'm so glad I've got this diary to confide in... It's like having a friend I can carry around in my pocket…'"

Tom laughed as he began to see that fear, mixed with confusion on the credulous boy's face.

"If I say it myself, Harry, I've always been able to charm the people I need. So she poured out her soul to me, and her soul happened to be exactly what I wanted ... I grew stronger and stronger on a diet of her deepest fears, her darkest secrets. I grew powerful, far more powerful than her. Powerful enough to start feeding her a few of my secrets, to start pouring a little of my soul back into her…" And that soul changed in ways I could never have imagined, twisting and reforming into the heart of a creature capable of feeling so...

"What do you mean?" The boy looked pale. How could he be so obtuse – perhaps he had some kind of mental difficulty?

"Haven't you guessed yet, Harry Potter?" Tom spat his name. "The girl opened the Chamber of Secrets. She daubed the threatening message on the wall."

"No." The boy whispered. Idiot child.

"Yes. Of course, she didn't know what she was doing." Tom still felt the nagging need to clear her name. No matter. She would be dead soon anyway, as would the boy. "It was a stroke of luck, that I had the chance to speak to you before now."

"What do you mean?" The boy asked again. Did he have no other words to use?

"The girl and I had a slight falling out, and that's where you came in, Harry. You found the diary, and I couldn't have been more delighted. Of all the people who could have picked it up, it was you, the very person I was most anxious to meet…"  
>"And why did you want to meet me?" Anger rose across the boy's features; a welcome change. It showed that there was some intelligence hidden beneath that unprepossessing face.<p>

"Well, you see, she told me all about you, Harry," said Tom. "Your whole fascinating history. " His eyes roved over the lightning scar on Harry's forehead, and their expression grew hungrier. "I knew I must find out more about you, talk to you, meet you if I could. So I decided to show you my famous capture of that great oaf, Hagrid, to gain your trust -"

"Hagrid's my friend," said the boy, his voice shaking. "And you framed him, didn't you? I thought you made a mistake, but -"

Tom laughed again, although enraged by the boy's interruption.

"It was my word against Hagrid's, Harry. Well, you can imagine how it looked to old Armando Dippet. On the one hand, Tom Riddle, poor but brilliant, parentless but so brave, school prefect, model student... on the other hand, big, blundering Hagrid, in trouble every other week, trying to raise werewolf cubs under his bed, sneaking off to the Forbidden Forest to wrestle trolls... but I admit, even I was surprised how well the plan worked. I thought someone must realize that Hagrid couldn't possibly be the Heir of Slytherin. It had taken me five whole years to find out everything I could about the Chamber of Secrets and discover the secret entrance... as though Hagrid had the brains, or the power!" The cruelty of his words drove Tom, as he savoured the horror on the boy's face. "Only the Transfiguration teacher, Dumbledore, seemed to think Hagrid was innocent. He persuaded Dippet to keep Hagrid and train him as gamekeeper. Yes, I think Dumbledore might have guessed… Dumbledore never seemed to like me as much as the other teachers did…"

"I bet Dumbledore saw right through you," said the imbecilic boy.

"Well, he certainly kept an annoyingly close watch on me after Hagrid was expelled," Tom replied carelessly. "I knew it wouldn't be safe to open the Chamber again while I was still at school. But I wasn't going to waste those long years I'd spent searching for it. I decided to leave behind a diary, preserving my sixteen-year-old self in its pages, so that one day, with luck, I would be able to lead another in my footsteps, and finish Salazar Slytherin's noble work."

"Well, you haven't finished it," said the boy, almost triumphantly. His pronouncement made Tom raise an eyebrow. "No one's died this time, not even the cat. In a few hours the mandrake draught will be ready and everyone who was petrified will be all right again -"

Ah, the misplaced naïveté.

"Haven't I already told you," said Tom quietly, "that killing Mudbloods doesn't matter to me anymore? For many months now, my new target has been… you."

Terror settled over the boy. Tom found pleasure in that. His mind wandered back to the last time he'd felt so much pleasure – but no. He had to keep on track.

"Imagine how angry I was when the next time my diary was opened, it was the girl. I decided to draw her down here, so I sent myself into her and made her do my bidding. There isn't much life left in her… She put too much into the diary, into me. Enough to let me leave its pages at last… I have been waiting for you to appear since we arrived here. I knew you'd come. I have many questions for you, Harry Potter." But was this really about the boy any more? It was harder and harder, to see the girl like this, to know that every moment she was waning, that soon she would... Could he really go through with this? Would he ever be sated by the incessant suffering he caused? It had been enough before, but the doubt nagged the edges of his mind, tore at them -

"Like what?" The boy clenched his fists.

"Well," said Tom, smirking again, "how is it that you - a skinny boy with no extraordinary magical talent - managed to defeat the greatest wizard of all time? How did you escape with nothing but a scar, while Lord Voldemort's powers were destroyed?"

The slow boy seemed cautious.

"Why do you care how I escaped? Voldemort was after your time…"

"Voldemort," said Tom softly, "is my past, present, and future, Harry Potter..."

He pulled Harry's wand from his pocket and began to trace it through the air, writing three shimmering words:

TOM MARVOLO RIDDLE

Then he waved the wand once, and the letters of his name rearranged themselves:

I AM LORD VOLDEMORT

The girl awoke as the words were suspended mid-air. She gasped and cried out, "Tom! No!" The boy whipped around, confused, and Tom stared into those beautiful, terrible eyes.

He wanted to be so much better, for her.

This was his chance for vengeance! He had waited so long!

But looking into her eyes, all he wanted was her. His cruelty, vindictiveness, it melted away in her terrible, aghast stare.

"Ginny…" he began, "Ginny, I-"

Why had he never used her name before? He began to undo what he had done, pouring her soul back into her. He saw her face glow, saw her light up with vitality. It had been all he'd ever wanted, but how could he do this to her? She was so beautiful. Her hair smelled like apples.

The boy dived across the floor and scooped up the diary, pullin the Sword of Gryffindor out of a hat and plunging it into the book. Tom screamed as pain so indescribable seared through him – the very fibres of his being scorching. Ginny screamed too. Ginny. Why had he never used her name before?

The boy plunged the fang in again, a hole tearing its way through Tom. He had seconds left, and he turned to her.

"Ginny –"

The hole widened, and he screamed again.

"Ginny, I-"

This was his last moment, he had but one second left, and he suppressed his last scream to finish:

"Ginny, I love you."

* * *

><p>Then he was gone, as if he had never existed, and all that was left was Harry, standing over the mangled diary, fang in hand.<p>

He helped Ginny up and they began to walk away.

Tom was gone.

Tom had loved her.

Tom was gone.

She had felt him letting go in his last moments - she knew that he would never have gone through with it. Ginny had loved him too, and she hoped he knew that, wherever he was. In those precious seconds, she'd seen his elation as her life returned to her, as he began to fade...

_'Ginny, I love you.'_

She would never get the chance to say it back.

Who he was, who he had been, none of it mattered to Ginny, because all she had known was the conflicted young man she'd fallen in love with.

A man who had given her hope, courage; a man who had loved her.

He was gone now.

* * *

><p><strong>Bye XD<strong>


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